Invalid support

ABSTRACT

A foldable three-legged invalid support having a pair of Ushaped side frames, the forward legs of the side frames being pivotally interconnected to form a V and the connection having a yieldable frictional resistance which permits controlled adjustment of the spacing of the frames to the comfort of the user and stabilizes the structure.

United States Patent 1 Skoog 1451 Feb. 13, 1973 521 U.S.C1. 51 1m.c1...A45b1/00 58 Field 61 Search.....135/45 A; 297/5, 6; 160/135,

[ INVALID SUPPORT [76] inventor: Folke E. Skoog, 1722 West Chestnut IStreet, Glenview, Ill. 60025 221 Filed: April 20, 1971 21 App1.No.:135,582

[ 5 6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 127,948 6/1872 sas'seuwjfl,..160 229 R 820,769 5/1906 Dejonge, Jr.

8/1969 Cannonetal. ..l60/135 303,908 8/1884 Ashley 160/229 R 2,159,3015/1939 Upton ..135/45 A 2,594,051 4/1952 McFarland et a1. 1 35/45 A2,518,763 9/1950 Du Bois ..135/45 A 3,350,095 10/1967 Clasen ..297/6Primary ExaminerPeter M. Caun Attorney.lohn J. Kowalik ABSTRACT Afoldable three-legged invalid support having a pair of U-shaped sideframes, the forward legs of the side frames being pivotallyinterconnected to form a V and the connection having a yieldablefrictional resistance which permits controlled adjustment of the spacingof the frames to the comfort of the user and stabilizes the structure.

8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENTED FEB 131915 \nvenror v 33- Folke E.Skoog Attorney villi!!! INVALID SUPPORT DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ARTVarious supports of the type under consideration have been providedheretofore, even the foldable types. The most popular support appears tobe the fourlegged rigid type in which a pair of laterally spaced sideframes are interconnected at their forward ends by a transverse bar toform an accommodation space for the user. This type of support has thedistinct disadvantage in that it is bulky and restricts the use in areashaving large doorways or passages since the structure cannot becollapsed or folded. Furthermore, the four legs must simultaneously restupon a level floor surface; otherwise the device is unstable, whichcannot be managed by the infirm person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to an invalidsupporting device which is self-leveling and relatively stable on unevensurfaces.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel three-leggedinvalid support which is simple to manufacture, but is durable andfacile to use.

A more specific object is to provide a novel support which has a pair ofside members pivotally interconnected at their forward ends on avertical axis so that the frames are adjustable to accommodate personsof various physical dimensions.

A still further object is to devise a novel connection between theseside frames with an adjustable frictional resistance to releasably holdthe frames in selected adjusted positions and which permits readyfolding and opening of the frames for storage and use, respectively.

Another object is to provide in combination with such frictionalresistance a yieldable support for the two side frames so that they areaccommodated slight relative vertical displacement and thus areself-leveling on uneven terrain.

A still further object is to device a novel three-legged support whereinthe lengths of the legs are adjustable and by adjusting the legs, theslope of the handhold portions of the side frames are adjusted.

Another object is to device a cushioned support having a pair of sideframes by providing metal side frames of invertedU-shape in which thelegs of each frame can spread apart slightly as the load is appliedagainst the upper handhold interconnecting the legs.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed bythe invention will become more apparent from the specifications and thedrawings wherein.

I FIG. '1 is a front perspective view of my novel invalid i supportdeviceshown in open position;

FIG. 2 is a top view thereof in folded position showing the openposition in dottedlines;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially online 8-8 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invalid supporting device generallydesignated 2 comprises a pair of inverted U-shaped metalic side frame 4and 6. Frame 4 comprises a generally horizontal top hand-hold bar 8 atopposite ends of which are the front and rear downwardly diverging legs10 and 12. The front leg 10 is offset laterally as at 14 intermediateits ends to accommodate the short front leg 16 of the side frame 6. Theleg 16 has its lower end 18 terminating above the offset 14 and ispartially tucked in over the lower portion 20 of the leg 10 so that theportion 20 is generally in vertical alignment with the pivot connectionor assembly generally designated 22 between the front legs 10 and 16 ofthe side frames as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The side frame 6 in addition to leg 16 comprises an upper generallyhorizontal hand-hold bar 24 substantially level with hand-hold bar 8.The rear end of bar 24 is connected to a downwardly extending rear leg26 which diverges downwardly with respect to the front leg 16 in thesame manner as the legs of the side frame The legs l0, l2 and 26 haveidentical lower end adjustable extensions 28, 30 and 32. Each extensioncomprises a sleeve 34 (FIG. 8) telescoped over the lower end of therespective leg and adjustable axially thereof. The lower end of each leghas a spring-biased latch 36 which comprises a housing 38 suitablysecured within the interior of the lower end portion of the respectiveleg. The housing encloses a compression spring 40 which extendstransversely of the leg between a base 42 of the housing and the innerend of a latching bolt 44 which is slidable within the housing and has areduced outer end portion 46 projecting through an aperture 48 in thehousing, which housing extends through an aperture 50 in a side wall ofthe associated leg.

The reduced end portion of the bolt projects through a selected one of avertically spaced series of apertures 52in the wall of the sleeve 34 sothat the extension may be adjusted and secured in any of a plurality ofselected positions by depressing the bolt manually into the housing andthen releasing it intothe selected aperture.

The lower end of each extension comprises a foot 54 of resilientmaterial such as rubber of a high coefficient of friction.

It will be noted that the. hand-hold bars have rubber or Elastomer grips56, 58 sleeved thereon and secured by bonding thereto for grasping bythe user to obtain a firm hold.

A feature of the present invention is the novel yieldable friction pivotassembly 22 which comprises a vertical rod 60 having an eye 62 at itsupper end for hanging the device upon a wall hook for storage. The rod60 or pintle extends through the eyes of an upper pair of superposedhinge elements 64, 66 and through the eyes of a lower pair of verticallydisplaced hinge elements 68, 70. The upper hinge elements'64, 68 areconnected to the leg 16 and the lower elements 66, 70 are connected toleg 10. I I

A disk 72 of flexible Elastomeric material-is disposed between the hingeelements 64 and 66 to accommodate slight vertical shifting of the frame4 with respect to frame 6 which provides resilient stability to thestructure. Also, since the hinge element 64 compresses the disk againstthe element 66 pivoting movements when the frames are loaded are greatlyinhibited so that they will not spread apart when in use such as couldcause the device to fold or open and tip. At the same time, when theframes are intended to be folded and no load is applied to the hand-holdbars, the resistance is reduced and the frames may be relatively easilyfolded.

The lower hinge elements 68, 70 are interposed by a friction disk 74such as leather or brake lining material which has a central aperture 75receiving the rod 60 therethrough which also passes through sleeves 76,78

of upper and lower opposed friction washers or disks 80 and 82 which areconnected to respective sleeves and embrace the disk 74. The sleeves 76,78 pass through eyes of the lower hinge elements 68, 70 and the upperedge of sleeve 80 abuts through washer 86 the underside of nut 88threaded on rod 60 and the lower edge of sleeve 82 abuts through washer88 the lower nut 90. The nuts 88,90 are threaded on the rod 60 .towardeach other to compress the friction element between the sleeves. Eachsleeve 80, 82 is provided with a' rib 92 which fits into the juncture 94of the related eye to prevent rotation but accommodating axial movementwith the rod 60 attendant to deflection of theelastomer disk 72. AU-shaped retainer 96 has upper and lower apertured portions 97, 98 whichsleeve over the rod 60 and the sleeves 76, 78. The

upper flange 97 has an upwardly extending tab 93 which engages one ofthe flats 91 of the upper nut. The lower flange 95. has a depending tab99 bent against the flat 89 of the lower nut.

It will be noted that the friction disks 80, 82 are spaced verticallyfrom the underside and top side of hinge elements 68, 70 to accommodateduring use relative vertical movements of the side frames whiledeflecting the disk 72. Any slight variations in the terrain upon whichthe legs may be positioned are thus accommodated by relativedisplacement of the side The invention is not to be limited to the exactar-' rangernent of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or describedinthe, specification as various changes in the details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from. the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1 claim:

1. An invalid supporting device comprising a pair of side frames havingfront and rear end, means hingedly interconnecting the front ends ofsaid frames for pivotal movement between a closed storage position andan open invalid-accommodating V-shaped position, and saidinterconnecting means comprising means frictionally resistin pivotalmovement of the frames and means yieldab y accommodating shifting ofsaid posed between said hinge elements and adapted to be compressedtherebetween attendant to relative vertical displacement of the sideframes, and said material disposed in shear to resist said pivotalmovement.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and one of the frames comprising asingle ground-engaging leg and the other frame comprising apair ofground-engaging legs and saidframe with the said single leg having acantilever support on the other frame via' said interconnectthereto toaccommodate compression of the elastomer ing means whereby upon loadbeing applied to said one frame said body of elastomer material isdeflected through the hinge element connected to the one frame andoverlying said body.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and each side frame is of invertedU-shaped and having an upper hand-hold and said frames providingadjustable ground-engaging legs.

. 6. The invention according to claim 3 and said interconnecting meanscomprising friction means formed and arranged to resist pivotal movementof said side frames.

7. The invention according to claim 1 and said interconnecting meanscomprising a pair of hinge elements and said yieldable means comprisingan intervening body of elastomer material adapted to be compressedtherebetween attendant to relative shifting of the frames.

' 8. The invention according to claim 7 and said interconnecting meanscomprising a second pair of hinge elements, and said friction meanscomprising friction members constrained to rotate with respective ofsaid second pair of elements and axially slidable relative body, a bodyof friction material between said friction members, and means biasingsaid friction members against said friction body.

1. An invalid supporting device comprising a pair of side frames having front and rear end, means hingedly interconnecting the front ends of said frames for pivotal movement between a closed storage position and an open invalid-accommodating V-shaped position, and said interconnecting means comprising means frictionally resisting pivotal movement of the frames and means yieldably accommodating shifting of said frames and serving to resist pivotal movement between the frames during use.
 1. An invalid supporting device comprising a pair of side frames having front and rear end, means hingedly interconnecting the front ends of said frames for pivotal movement between a closed storage position and an open invalid-accommodating V-shaped position, and said interconnecting means comprising means frictionally resisting pivotal movement of the frames and means yieldably accommodating shifting of said frames and serving to resist pivotal movement between the frames during use.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 and said frames having front and rear legs and the front leg of one of the frames having a short leg and said frames providing three ground engaging legs.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 and said interconnecting means comprising a pair of vertically displaced hinge elements and said yieldable means comprising a yieldable body of elastomer material interposed between said hinge elements and adapted to be compressed therebetween attendant to relative vertical displacement of the side frames, and said material disposed in shear to resist said pivotal movement.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 and one of the frames comprising a single ground-engaging leg and the other frame comprising a pair of ground-engaging legs and said frame with the said single leg having a cantilever support on the other frame via said interconnecting means whereby upon load being applied to said one frame said body of elastomer material is deflected through the hinge element connected to the one frame and overlying said body.
 5. The invention according to claim 4 and each side frame is of inverted U-shaped and having an upper hand-hold and said frames providing adjustable ground-engaging legs.
 6. The inventIon according to claim 3 and said interconnecting means comprising friction means formed and arranged to resist pivotal movement of said side frames.
 7. The invention according to claim 1 and said interconnecting means comprising a pair of hinge elements and said yieldable means comprising an intervening body of elastomer material adapted to be compressed therebetween attendant to relative shifting of the frames. 